Old Scars, Chapter 4: Part 1.3

Page 78

Panel 1: Grem's train of thought is interrupted by Po's sudden exit from the conversation; the back of him to the reader, watching as she leaves the scene.

GREM

Okay, not a fan of small talk maybe. Eh, none of my business. The important part is I have a potential lead to follow- some place called Ahti's Blessing.

Panel 2: Cut to a shot of T standing at a stand highlighting a variety of cybernetic eyes of all shapes and designs.

Caption

(Cont., Grem)

"Hopefully, T's having equally solid good fortune."

SELLER

(to T)

01-1-01_1-1-1_11-1-1-10_10-11-1-00_11-1-10-10-1-01-1-01_1-01_1-01-01-1-1? 10-1'10-1_01-10-1-11-1_00-1_1_11-1-00-1-10-1-01-01. 1_01-1-01_11-1-1-10_1-00!

T

00-1-01-11_1-11_1_10-1-11-1_00-1-10-1-1-00, 1_01-1-01'00_00-10-1-11-00_00-11-1_1-01-00-10-1-11-11. 00-10-1-11-1-01-1-01...

Panel 3: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. A beat later, T turns their head to the right upon hearing a familiar voice; a flirty grin coming across their face.

PO

(Off-Panel, translated from Finnish) Hey there, cu-T...!

Panel 4: The two embrace warmly a few moments later a handful of feet away from the stand.

T

(translated from Finnish) Hey! I thought you'd be at work.

PO

Got out early. I wanted to get a few things before prepping the first dinner of the best week of the year.

T

(Bubble 2) Mine too...!

Panel 5: A beat later, the two share a nice lovely kiss. Then...

Panel 6: Just as the two decouple from the aforementioned kiss, a thought pops up to Po's lips.

PO

I stumbled upon this uber chatty foreigner a little while ago near the Silk Market.

T

Oh? What was their name?

PO

(Bubble 2) I didn't ask them...

Page 79

Panel 1: Cut to a shot of Grem arriving at Ahti's Blessing minutes later: a modest looking restaurant parked next to the bay at the edge of Utopia.

Caption

(Cont., Po)

"They seemed fun though!"

GREM

(thought bubble) Marek...that's the name of the person the boy said to meet. At least I think he's human; the fear on the kid's face...kinda went to something more

Panel 2: Close-up on the immortal Irishman at the door, still trailing on the same thought as the previous panel.

GREM

(Cont., thought bubble) That and the talk of rock guards protecting this Marek guy. I really hope that's just a figure of speech. My legs and back just got back to normal after all the biz in Russia.

Panel 3: A two-part set of action shots showing Grem walking through the interior of the restaurant; the melodies of sea shanties wafting through the top of each panel.

Panel 4: In the second panel, taken a short time later, he takes in some people watching of the area as well as taken in the ambience.

GREM

(thought bubble) Smells like cod...well grilled cod! I should try some while I'm here, if I have the time.

Panel 5: He stops a few moments later; his head craning upward at the sudden presence of a pair of shadows standing in front of him off-panel.

GREM

(half-grin, thought bubble) It's real...always nice to be surprised still after this long a life!